Here at First Eye Care, we offer emergency services in order to treat any eye care issues that require immediate attention. One of the biggest mistakes people make is failing to see a doctor when they are dealing with an eye emergency. This can actually result in long-term damage. We understand eye emergencies can take place anytime, anywhere.

The following are symptoms that may indicate you are in need of immediate medical attention for an eye injury:

• Flashes of light or black spots
• Disappearance of vision, often described as “curtain-like”
• Eye pain
• Seeing halos or rainbows around light
• Loss of peripheral vision
• Sudden hazy or blurred vision, seemingly out of nowhere
• Red, crusty, or swollen eyelids
• Eyelids that will not open because they are swollen or infected
• Sudden double vision
• Sudden red or painful eye
• Pink eye
• Foreign body in the eye
• Injury to the eye

While accidents and emergencies do happen, making it a point to see your eye doctor on an annual basis can prevent eye emergencies from occurring. Our comprehensive eye exams give us the opportunity to examine and make note of any changes in your vision or to your eyes. More often than not, we are able to detect symptoms that could lead to the need for emergency care down the road. That being said, some eye conditions do not have noticeable symptoms. If you notice something amiss with your vision or if you have sustained an injury to your eye that requires immediate attention, please contact one of our three vision centers immediately. Failure to see an eye doctor can result in permanent damage, which is why it is important that you come see one of our optometrists right away. In doing so, you can reduce the risk of hurting your vision long-term.

We strive to do everything we can to educate our patients about the importance of eye care, including in emergency situations. If you aren’t sure what to do or if your situation is an emergency, it is always better to err on the side of caution. First Eye Care has three convenient locations in Hurst, Keller, and Roanoke. Please visit one of these for more information on our emergency services, or to learn more about what you can do to protect your eyes and vision.